Coffee reduces inflammation

[Guest guest]

Hi,

First the media reported coffee drinkers have lower risk of developing

diabetes, now this study says coffee is anti-inflammatory. I love it

when new discoveries justify my habits.

" . . . .study suggests that drinking 1 to 3 cups of coffee per day may

help protect against cardiovascular disease and other illnesses

characterized by inflammation. "

Dave

link and full text:

http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews & storyID=12271267

Antioxidant-rich coffee may have health benefits

Fri May 19, 2006 10:21 AM ET

By Rauscher

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Coffee seems to provide more than a quick

pick-me-up. A new study suggests that drinking 1 to 3 cups of coffee

per day may help protect against cardiovascular disease and other

illnesses characterized by inflammation.

" The findings tend to suggest that there may be some benefit to

drinking modest amounts of coffee, " Dr. R. s, Jr., one of

the study's investigators, told Reuters Health.

" But I would very much like to see the finding replicated in other

studies by other investigators before making a very strong statement

in favor of coffee drinking, " he cautioned.

s, from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and

colleagues studied coffee drinking in relation to all deaths and

deaths due to cardiovascular disease, cancer and other diseases

related to inflammation in the Iowa Women's Health Study.

Analyses centered on 27,321 women between 55 to 69 years of age when

they entered the study and who were followed for 15 years. A total of

4,265 women died during follow up.

There was a " substantial " 24 percent reduction in risk of

" inflammatory deaths " among women who drank 1 to 3 cups of coffee a

day compared to non-drinkers of coffee, s reported.

" The risk reduction did not diminish for higher intakes of coffee, " he

noted. " However, a small risk reduction for cardiovascular disease

death in relation to coffee drinking did diminish at higher intake

levels; and cancer was not related to coffee consumption. "

The findings are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

That coffee, by inhibiting inflammation, may protect against

cardiovascular and other inflammatory diseases is not all that

surprising, s told Reuters Health.

" We had previously found that coffee is the single most important

source of antioxidants in the diets of Norwegians and of middle aged

women in Iowa. Oxidative stress is closely related to inflammation.

Thus we did expect to see a risk reduction with coffee intake, " he

explained.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2006.